The Oscar nominee will appear in an upcoming episode as Counselor Minonna Efron, whose client is on trial for assault and murder. D.A. Barba (Raul Esparza) thinks the case is an easy win because he sees her disorganized manner as incompetence. However, his case begins to fall apart when she thwarts his efforts repeatedly. Vardalos'episode is set to air on Jan. 30 and will also feature The Young and the Restless star Victoria Rowell and a cameo by The Howard Stern Show's Fred Norris.

The NBC procedural has also booked Lost alum Harold Perrineau to play a career criminal named Brian Traymor. In the episode, featuring the return of Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden as FBI Agent Dana Lewis, Traymor is the prime suspect in a rape-murder case tied to several more investigations in the country. Lewis thinks Traymor is guilty, but Det. Benson (Mariska Hargitay) is more uncertain. The Shield's Jay Karnes also appears in the episode, airing Feb. 6, as a friend of Agent Lewis and the fiancé of one of the victims.